Great Curb Appeal Helps Sell A Home

In real estate, we often talk to home sellers about curb appeal. It is an important factor that sometimes gets overlooked when prepping a home for sale.

Some ask how important curb appeal is to prospective buyers. We’ve seen it positively and negatively affect a buyers impression of a home. The folks at Professional Home Staging sum it up well with the following words.

Your home’s curb appeal is the first thing buyers see when they drive up to the property. Buyers immediately start assessing the exterior and landscaping, forming a knee-jerk first impression. This initial reaction is very powerful. It instantly sets the tone of the tour and will have an effect on how buyers perceive the rest of the property. If their first impression is a negative one, then the rest of the home will suffer for it.

That said, we found an article on MoneyTalkNews that discusses 17 things to do to the exterior of your home to help it feel more attractive. 17 may be a bit overzealous. Below are the first 4 a few must-dos from the story along with a link to the entire article.

Four Curb Appeal Ideas To Consider

Bust Clutter – Curb Appeal Tip #1
“Clutter,” of course, is in the eye of the beholder, so think of it this way: Buyers need to imagine your home as their own, with their possessions and their style. Go for a clean, streamlined look. Tips for doing this around your home include:

Remove bikes, skateboards, trash cans, garden tools and other evidence of bustling family life.
Walk around the house with a garbage can, tossing scraps of paper and plastic, branches, leaves, dog waste and anything else that doesn’t belong in the yard.

Eliminate all but a few carefully selected pots and pieces of outdoor furniture.

Freshen the entry – Curb Appeal Tip #2
Clean the front door and give it a couple of coats of paint. Repair, replace or remove damaged screen doors and storm doors.

Remove everything, including furniture and pots, from the porch, deck or entry and give the entire area a thorough cleaning. Repaint or touch up where needed.

If the door is aged, cracked, or broken consider a new or custom front door to give the home a well-tended look. Polish any metal knobs and fixtures. Place a big planted pot on each side of the front door. A bright note of contrasting color can bring a home’s front door to life. The trick is to choose colors that complement your home’s exterior landscaping and colors.

Clean Up The Landscaping – Curb Appeal Tip #3

Nice looking landscaping is a big deal, especially in Santa Barbara. Trimming up shrubs, sprucing up flower beds and mowing the lawn can make a significant impact on a buyer.

Repaint the exterior – Curb Appeal Tip #4

Repainting the outside of your home isn’t a low-budget option. But if the home is ready for a paint job and you have the budget, a new coat of paint seriously pumps up curb appeal. This is especially true if you have peeling paint, wall cracks and other signs of deferred maintenance.

Take a neighborhood tour with to research colors and shades that appeal to you and that fit in with the neighborhood.

Please know that Joe or Garrett from the Santa Barbara Group would be happy to drive the neighborhood with you and offer suggestions from their seasoned point of view. 

We hope this article has been helpful. We are happy to review the exterior of your home and offer suggestions that our 16+ years has taught. If you would like to read the rest of the article, here is the link.

Garrett McCaw and Joe Parker
The Santa Barbara Group at BHHSCP